Friday, January 18, 2013

What is the first thing you do when consciousness knocks on the door of your mind in the morning and you realize that the grace of God has granted you another day of living? For some of us, thoughts of what needs to be done that day come rushing in. For others, thoughts turn to who is with you or whom you want to be with you. Family house noises call you to move towards the regular morning routine. I go immediately into prayer talking to God before I engage my world.

Still others begin the day with a complaint on their lips. It’s like the old story of the man who went to a monastery for three years. He was only allowed to say two words per year. After the first year he said, “ Bed hard.” At the end of the second year he said, “Food cold.” At the end of the third year, he said, “I quit.” The leader of the monastery said, “It’s no wonder, said the Father. “All you have done is complaint since you’ve been here.”

Do a self-check today. Do you start the day complaining? How many times a day do you complain? Be honest. Complaining can be a contagious attitudinal life-style that can block the joy and peace that God can bring into our lives.

Instead of complaining about the things that are beyond your control, bring them to the Lord. I know, it’s tough, hard, you don’t feel like it, it’s troublesome, it’s not the weekend or a holiday yet, it’s cold, it’s wet, and it’s your job or responsibility. Ask God to change your attitude before all you do is whine and complain, whine and complain and whine and complain.

Quick Lord, before it’s too late. Complaining has the capacity to kill joy and relationships. Who wants to work with or live with people who constantly complain about everything?

Try declaring a complaint fast for 24 hours. Put your daily gripes in the hands of God. Let me know in the comment section how you made out: winning or whining!

Repeat after me: Today Lord, cancel my pity party and grip sessions and then lead me to a winning attitude so I can experience joy and genuine thanksgiving!

“Do everything without complaining or arguing. Then you will be innocent and without any wrong.”Philippians 2:12-14 NCV

Let us pray:

Lord, deliver us from attending our daily gripe sessions. Forgive us for all of the time we’ve spent on self- pity and inviting others to our pity parties. Create in us a winning attitude instead of a whining attitude. Help us today to paint a beautiful picture on the canvas of life full of vibrant ideas to improve and move forward, the Lord being our helper.

Cancel the cancerous complaining that kills the love in my heart. Help us to give you everything that is beyond our control. Sweetened our spirit today and everyday.

Now, it is with grateful hearts that we are determine to live fully today. Thank you Lord for all you has been, all you are right now and all you shall be in our lives. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

“The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way.” — John 4: 50

This time was different. On this visit to Cana, Jesus had no need to dread the pinch of hometown skepticism toward His ministry. He received a warm welcome.Had the Galileans not recently witnessed His miracles, would the welcome have been the same? Would the official have sought him to heal his son?

Just like us, this official had an urgent need for Jesus. What he knew of Jesus was sufficient to draw him to ask Him to heal his son. This man took Jesus at His word and his son’s miracle would draw him and his family into relationship with Him. This official left his request with Jesus with no further beleaguering. He left it. He put it in the Lord’s hand. What about you?

Even when Jesus challenged his faith and belief, he was not deterred; he went his way in confidence that his son would be healed.

In times of prayer and fasting, we bring before God our needs for healing for others, self, relationships, habits, behaviors, prejudices—all the things that drive wedges in our connections with God and others. Just like the official, are we leaving these requests with God? Then confidently walking away knowing that God has heard us and will answer us?

Walking away is telling God that we completely trust Him.

Walking away is our act of surrender.

Walking away is walking closer to God.

Walk away.

Walk toward the answer. God is at the end of the walkway with the answer in His Hand. Start walking…

Carlene LenoreNashville, Tennessee

REPEAT AFTER ME: Today, I will leave everything in the hands of God and walk towards the answer!

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Friday, January 11, 2013

Majestic Lord, we lift our voices in praise and thanksgiving. Teach us to walk in the truth of your Word and demonstrate this truth in thought, word and deed to those we encounter today. Open to us the mysteries of your grace so that we can know the difference between what is essential and what is convenient. Grace is essential.

Create in us a clean heart and renew right intentions within us. In Jesus Name, remove from us all evil intentions so that wrong motives do not ever mingle with holy desires. Amen

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy New Year! You are invited to make declarations of God’s Word over your life instead of New Year’s resolutions. In this way instead of promising yourself that you will do something, you are releasing the power of God’s Word to work in your life.

For the next seven days, I will share seven verses from the Bible. Declare the Word out loud releasing it into the atmosphere. Keep declaring God’s Word until what is spoken in the Spirit manifests itself in the natural. Sure, it sounds too strange to be true. But it is. God’s Word works and can work for you. Go to the listen section on the home page and download the Declare God’s Word introduction.

AND IT CAME TO PAST:

A little girl in our neighborhood was trying out the new bike she got for Christmas training wheels and all. As she wobbled down the sidewalk, she shouted to her father “Look at me! Look at me!” Her father promptly gave her a standing ovation.

All of us, whether we are children or adults want to be noticed. It’s human. We desire people to affirm our achievements and gifts in life. We enjoy being praised for doing good things, being listened to, getting hugs and attention. Sometimes these things happen and sometimes they don’t.

When our value and worth is not appreciated it can create stress and anxiety. One failure can end up defining who we are. A low self-esteem can even get in the way of making strong relationships or lead to not trying anything at all.

This year turn negative feedback aside with God’s Word. You are loved. You are accepted. You are God’s masterpiece to do good things.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called for a time when “…all men will respect the dignity and worth of human personality”. There is no time like the present.

Live forward this year. If no one encourages you, learn to encourage yourself in God’s Word.

My New Year’s Declaration

I am God’s masterpiece; I will do the good works that God has planned in advance for me to do!

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)

SELAH

Stop Here Before Moving Forward

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This is the place where you can practice the spiritual discipline of prayer. Use this site as a guide for daily prayer and Scripture reading. You can share your prayer experiences, prayer requests as well as your original prayers at praycation2@gmail.com or in the comment section.

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SCRIPTURE:Read the daily Bible verse. Meditate on God’s Word.SILENCE:Sit or walk without words with an open heart and mind to God.

PRAYER:Connect and consent to the presence of God

LISTEN:When we listen, we learn.

RESPOND:Discover this deeper relationship with God that produces a new vision, direction and destination.

RECORD:Write your experiences in a journal or a notebook so that your soul can look back and wonder.

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Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie is the presiding bishop of the 10th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the great state of Texas. Learn more at www.thisisyourwakeupcallonline.com.

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

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AUGUST 2013

11 Corinthians 162 Kings 12-13Micah 3

22 Corinthians 1:1-2:42 Kings 14Micah 4:1-5:1

32 Corinthians 2:5-3:182 Kings 15-16Micah 5:2-15

42 Corinthians 4:1-5:102 Kings 17Micah 6

52 Corinthians 5:11-6:132 Kings 18Micah 7

62 Corinthians 6:14-7:162 Kings 19Nahum 1

72 Corinthians 82 Kings 20-21Nahum 2

82 Corinthians 92 Kings 22:1-23:35Nahum 3

92 Corinthians 102 Kings 23:36-24:20Habakkuk 1

102 Corinthians 112 Kings 25Habakkuk 2

112 Corinthians 121 Chronicles 1-2Habakkuk 3

122 Corinthians 131 Chronicles 3-4Zephaniah 1

13John 1:1-181 Chronicles 5-6Zephaniah 2

14John 1:19-341 Chronicles 7-8Zephaniah 3

15John 1:35-511 Chronicles 9Haggai 1-2

16John 21 Chronicles 10-11Zechariah 1

17John 3:1-211 Chronicles 12Zechariah 2

18John 3:22-361 Chronicles 13-14Zechariah 3

19John 4:1-261 Chronicles 15:1-16:6Zechariah 4

20John 4:27-421 Chronicles 16:7-43Zechariah 5

21John 4:43-541 Chronicles 17Zechariah 6

22John 5:1-181 Chronicles 18-19Zechariah 7

23John 5:19-471 Chronicles 20:1-22:1Zechariah 8

24John 6:1-211 Chronicles 22:2-23:32Zechariah 9

25John 6:22-591 Chronicles 24Zechariah 10

26John 6:60-711 Chronicles 25-26Zechariah 11

27John 7:1-241 Chronicles 27-28Zechariah 12

28John 7:25-521 Chronicles 29Zechariah 13

29John 8:1-202 Chronicles 1:1-2:16Zechariah 14

30John 8:21-472 Chronicles 2:17-5:1Malachi 1:1-2:9

31John 8:48-592 Chronicles 5:2-14Malachi 2:10-16

PRAYER REQUESTS

This week in prayer, place in the hands of God everyone that you love. Leave them there so that your heart is free to seek the Lord without distraction.

Let me know how God answers your prayers in the comment section. Be sure to join this site so that prayers and messages will automatically come to your email inbox.